From Our Correspondent In a recent development, Joseph Joshua, the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development in Taraba Stat...
From Our Correspondent
In a recent development, Joseph Joshua, the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development in Taraba State, has found himself at the center of controversy as allegations arise regarding the authenticity of his degree from a university in Benin Republic.
The accusations surfaced through a petition addressed to the State Security Service (SSS) and simultaneously forwarded to the state police command. Authored by Nasiru Muhammed, a legal practitioner based in Jalingo, the petition was submitted on behalf of Sulaiman Adamu, a social activist residing in the state capital.
According to the petition dated 15 January, Joseph Joshua, during his screening as a Commissioner Nominee at the Taraba State House of Assembly, presented a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Information Technology with Second Class (Upper Division) from ESGT University, Benin Republic (Cotonou), allegedly obtained in 2021.
However, the petition raised concerns as Mr. Joshua did not provide his mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate or exemption letter during the screening process, sparking doubts about the authenticity of the presented degree certificate.
The petition further contends that Mr. Joshua's claimed educational journey to Benin Republic is not substantiated by evidence. It calls for a thorough investigation into the number of times he visited Benin Republic for studies, the years covered, and seeks passport records during the alleged period of study.
When contacted for a response, Joseph Joshua declined to comment, stating, "I have no comment. Let the security do their job," in a brief SMS message.
In response to these allegations, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Taraba, Usman Abdullahi, expressed unawareness of the petition, stating that he had not yet seen a copy. He indicated that it might still be undergoing administrative processes.
It is noteworthy that these accusations come amidst a broader context, with the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, recently inaugurating an inter-ministerial committee to investigate foreign universities suspected of awarding fake degrees to Nigerians. This initiative follows an undercover journalist's revelation of obtaining a degree within six weeks from a university in Benin Republic, leading to mobilization by the NYSC for the mandatory one-year national service.
The investigative panel's mandate extends to probing allegations of degree certificate racketeering within both foreign and private universities in Nigeria, marking a concerted effort to address concerns of academic integrity within the nation.
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